Pallets support goods in a stable fashion during transport. Such pallets are typically planar in shape with opening or handles facilitating being lifted by a forklift, pallet jack, front loader, work saver, or other jacking device, or, in some cases a crane. Goods or shipping containers are often placed on a pallet and secured with strapping, stretch wrap or shrink wrap and shipped. Containerization for transport has spurred the use of pallets because shipping containers have the smooth, level surfaces needed for easy pallet movement. Organizations using standard pallets for loading and unloading can have much lower costs for handling and storage, with faster material movement than businesses that do not.
In addition to long distance transport, in various fields of work, for example manufacturing, objects of various shapes and sizes are transported on pallets within a manufacturing facility between steps of manufacture. Such objects can be manipulated, assembled, machined, or otherwise handled at on station, but then there is a need for quick changeover of assembly systems to facilitate manufacturing at a subsequent station. Oftentimes, users and operators require multiple pallets of multiple sizes dedicated to specific articles being built and shipped. Such custom racks often are specifically tailored to a single piece they are designed to hold, and therefore are quickly discarded and/or stored after only minimal use. This waste adds to the cost of manufacturing.
For example, pallets for use with low-volume parts often are equipped with slots, clips, rings, protrusions and various other constructions fixed thereon which are specifically adapted for the part or parts in question. In addition, properly sized and customized pallets are not often on hand for a part that is ready to be worked on and/or transported to another portion of the facility.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,708 Jeruzal (“Jeruzal”) discloses a multiple section pallet assembly having a primary pallet member fitted with adjustable article attachment brackets thereon to accommodate and attach vehicle seats of varying sizes. While usually effective for its intended purpose, improvements are needed.
The present disclosure is directed to solving one or more of the issues discussed above and those contained in the prior art.